Russell s



(No Model.)

Rv. s. PBNNIMAN. METHOD 0F MANUFACTURING NITRATBOP AMMONIA.

No. 478,067. Patented June 28,1892.

THE News uns coA. mow-umu., msnmeron, n. 1:.

NiTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

` TO JOHN C. SOHRADER, OF SAME; PLACE, IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OFCOLUMBIA.

AND VILLIAM C. VOOD, OF

METHOD OF MANUFACTURING NITRATE OF AMMONIA.

SPECIFICATION. forming part of Letters lPatent N o. 478,067, dated June28, 1892.

Original application filed .Tuly 1l, 1888. Serial No. 279.649. Dividedand this application filed August 20, 1890. Serial No.

362,484. (No specimens.) v

T aZZ whom it mtyconcern:

Beit known that I, RUSSELL S. PENNIMAN, of Dover, in the county ofMorris and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and 5 usefulImprovements in the Manufacture of Nitrate of Ammonia; and I do herebydeclare that the followingspeciflcation, taken in connection with thedrawings furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, I0and complete description of my said invention.

In my application for Letters Patent filed July l1, 1888, Serial No.279,649, I disclosed the invention to be hereinafter described in I5connection with the production of protected nitrate of ammonia and towhich my said original application has been now restricted, the presentdivision thereof relating to the dehydration of the nitrate and also toits development in a solid form from the liquors or brine containing theSallie in solution.

As stated in my said original application, I have radically departedfrom the prior method of developing nitrate of ammonia in a solid form,in that, instead of partially evaporating the water from the solutionscontaining` the nitrate and then cooling the Same, as in the slow andexpensive process of crystallization, I progressively reduce the nitrateto a liquefied and thoroughly-dehydrated condition by means ofevaporation and employing high temperatures, accompanied with theinjection of air into the highly-heated liquefied mass, thus securingthe nitrate in a pu rer and more perfectcondition than is possible bythe crystallizing process or even b v melting the crystals, unless theair be then injected, as by me, in accordance with this portion ot' myinvention. When the liquefied nitrate has been 40 thus thoroughlydehydrated, I then cool it and mechanically convert it into a dividedbut solid condition.

After describing my invention in connection with the accompanyingdrawings the novel features appropriate to this divisional applicationwill be duly specified in the clauses of claim hereunto annexed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates in elevation anapparatus as devised by me for use in accordance with my said in-..vention. Fig. 2 illustrates in central verti cal section the portionof the apparatus in which the dehydrated liquefied nitrate isdelveioped, and also wherein it is converted mechan ically into adivided or grained condition.

'lhis apparatus is mountedv partly on suitable platforms A A2 and partlyon a main floor A', as clearly indicated. Upon the main floor a tank Bis located for the reception of the ammoniacalliquor and acid andprovided 4with means for agitating its contents. Said rtank B isconnected by suitable pipes with lone or more settling-tanks C on atrestle upon `the upper platform, and the contents of said .tank B aretransferred to said settling-tanks by means of aSteam-ejector orsuitable pump. v lFrom the settling-tank the brine is delivered into aseries of pans, of which but two are shown at D and D', each of whichcontains a steam-coil. Said-pans deliver their contents through pipe D2to a machine E, in which the lnitrate is raised to a high temperatureand iirst thoroughly dehydrated while in a lique- =iied condition andthen cooled and mechani- 'cally converted into a divided but solidcondition. `This machine consistsin part of a pan a, whichis jacketedand coupled with steam-pipes and with other pipes, which enable analternating supply of steam and of cool Water to be delivered to andtaken from the interior space clearly shown. Said machine also has acentral hub containing a vertical shaft Ingeared to a driving-shaft c.At its upper end the shaft I) carries a set o f arms d, which serveas'stirrers when said shaft is rotated. One (or more) of said armscarries a perforated pipe e, which at its upper end com- Inunicates withan air-chamber f, communieating by way of a pipe g with a blower F orother suitable air-pump. 9o

In working this apparatus in the best manner various impurities may bedisposed of by gravitation, the liquid being allowed to settle both inthe settling-tank and then again after heating and evaporating in thepans D D; 95 but some of the pans may be used Wholly'for evaporation andothers for settling.

From ninety to ninety-tive per cent. of the water can be driven off inthe pans without employing temperatures liable to cause a de- Ioocomposition of the nitrate, but the remaining Water is expelled in thepan a of machine E by the use of high temperatures approximating to 520OFahrenheit, (which should never be exceeded,) accompanied by theinjector of air, which carries off such water as cannot be expelled byheat alone, and if attempted great danger Will be incurred in the lossof the nitrate. The air not only serves to carry oi moisture, but alsoto keep the temperature below the safety limit.

So far as ,my knowledge extends. I am the first to thoroughly7 dehydratenitrate of ammonia in a liquefied or melted condition, and I believethat my success is dependent upon the use of air injected as described.t Forconvertin g this liquefied dehydrated nitrate into a solid -butdivided form the steam is cut off from the pan a, and cold Watersubstituted therefor, so as to cool down the pan and its contents,during which the air is also cut off, but the stirrers kept in motionfor mechanically disintegrating the gradually-cooled mass until thewhole is converted into a divided or grained condition. v

As a rule the most available ammoniacal liquors are derived fromconcentrated Washwaters of gas-Works, and they generally carry aboutIifteen per cent. ot' available ammonia in the form of carbonates and'sulpbides I prefer to Work about five hundred gallons of such liquor ata charge variable according to the strength of the liquor and of thenitric acid used, the latter being introduced grad u-v ally while themixture is being Well stirred, and in all cases the brine should beslightly alkaline. Forsecuring specially-pu re nitrate ampleopportunities for settling the brine should be aiorded.

I am aware that blasts ot' air have been Widely used as aids toevaporation in various processes; butI believeI am the first to employair for the evaporation of water from solutions containing eitherammonia or its salts not only with avieW to rapid service, but also forobviating decomposition of the salts incident to those high temperatureswhich are essential for maintaining the nitrate in a liqueied condition,during which complete dehydration can be eected.

Having thus described my invention; I claim as newand appropriate tothis division ot' my aforesaid original application'- l. Theilnprovementin dehydrating nitrate of ammonia, which consists inreducing the nitrate to and maintaining it in aliqueed or meltedcondition under high temperatures approximating to the decomposinglimitvand then injecting into the mass blasts of air for conveyingtherefrom all watery matter.

2. The improvement in dehydratin g nitrate of ammonia, which consists inreducing the nitrate to a liquefied or melted condition under hightemperature, then mechanically agitating the mass and also injectingblasts of air into the liqueiied mass 'for obviating liability of injuryto the nitrate by decomposition from overheating, and also for fullyeliminating watery vapors, substantially as described.

3. The improvement in the process of manufacturing nitrate of ammonia,which consists in dehydrating the nitrate while in a melted RUSSELL S.PENNIMAN. Witnesses:

J. T. CORLEW,

SYDNEY T. SMITH.

